Every "Draft Diary" that Simmons has done for ESPN has always skated around the broadcast team. It's no secret that Simmons is heavily edited when it comes to criticising the "Leader", which makes this year's diary such a shock. He actually spent a good amount of the article taking shots at Stu Scott and Co....

4. Bilas calls Rose a "special, special talent," followed by Van Gundy calling Michael Beasley a "special talent" and Mark Jackson calling O.J. Majo a "special basketball player," then Bilas agreeing that Beasley was a "special talent." That's why Rose went ahead of Beasley and Mayo -- he's more than a special basketball player and a special talent, he's a special, special talent. Anyway, that was a special sequence.

4:40: Our first glimpse of Stephen A. Smith, who has been given interview duties for the night. Frankly, I'm beside myself with excitement.

4:46: Doris Burke becomes the first announcer to provide color for a second-round NBA playoff game and a WNBA game AND draw Mom Interview Duty during the NBA draft within a two-month span. You'll be telling your grandkids about that trifecta. You will.

5:12: This seems like a good time to mention that A.) Gordon is dressed like one of the waiters at Johnny Rockets, and B.) Stephen A. mistakenly thought he was a point guard before Gordon corrected him. Let's just move on.

5:26: Stu explains Augustin is only 5-foot-11, but he has the wingspan of someone who's 6-3½. Well that changes everything!

5:47: I don't mean to nitpick, but every time Van Gundy talks in the second person, ESPN should be throwing up a "Copyright: Hubie Brown, 1972" graphic.

5:56: Well, folks, we just made history -- Dick Vitale broke his own personal record and talked uninterrupted for 164 seconds straight. Also, my cable box just caught fire.

6:19: We might get through the night without a single argument among Van Gundy, Jackson and Bilas. These guys make "Tirico and Van Pelt" seem combative and hostile by comparison.

6:25: Charlotte takes French center Alexis Ajinca, quickly followed by Fran Fraschilla getting yanked away from the men's room to give his thoughts. You're not gonna believe this, but Fran likes Ajinca's 7-foot-8 wingspan. That leads to the new best e-mail of the night, from Jon in Maine: "Since when did Nathan Lane become an expert on international basketball?"

Well that was fun wasn't it? I fully expect all of those digs to be taken down by 1:30pm so enjoy them while you can!

Introducing the comedic stylings of the Lopez twins! (Page 2)

Before I get into the coverage I just wanted to note how draining last night's NBA Draft was. I can't remember being completely exhausted after a live-blog of one of the best nights of the Sports Year. Maybe it was the lack of notable players in the second round, or the fact that there were no random Europeans jumping out of the stands, but by the end I was spent. Also, before the grading goes down I wanted to note that I don't have anything against anyone on the Draft telecast last night (yes, even Stu Scott somewhat). I think all parties involved are good on their own and know their stuff, which is why this is so odd to say....

EVERYONE...and I mean EVERYONE....involved in the program last night was just downright terrible.

I don't really know what it was, but as a group they combined to makeup the worst coverage team I think I've ever seen. I even waited through the morning to start writing this because I wanted to think it about it again and be fair. Wait, let's think a little more......nope still awful.

The host of a program doesn't necessarily need to be flawless in and out of transitions and segments, but he has to be close to it. That's what made Mike Tirico and Dan Patrick so good on NBA Draft coverage. It's almost like a good referee or umpire. They don't do anything crazy and you don't even mention them. It started off bad for Stu Scott and it just got worse. I started keeping track of his mistakes after a few picks and here's the list I and the commenters came up with.

1. Said Eric Gordon was Big Ten Player of the Year for Illinois (I know there was a battle for him, but come on).
2. Said the only time the Knicks have picked higher in the draft was when they picked Sky Walker at #5 (some guy named Ewing was picked somewhere in the Top 5 I think....oh yeah first).
3. Said the Knicks last made the Playoffs seven years ago (it's only been four).
4. Called the Pac-10 a Basketball school.
5. Lost it during a Portland-Hornets trade.
6. Ragged on the Doc Rivers Gatorade soaked shirt which was auctioned off for charity.
7. CONSTANTLY talked about the record number of Freshman taken and didn't once mention the NBA's age limit.

Etc, Etc, Etc. I know it's live television, and it's far from easy, but that many errors just distracts you from what the other analysts on set are saying. Not that they were ACTUALLY saying anything interesting (which is a perfect transition into the other three on stage).

First up, Jeff Van Gundy knows nothing about College players. He even openly admitted it. I have zero problems with that, but they only went to his strengths (NBA teams and strategy) three or four times in the night. He just looked lost up there and no one was setting him up at all. Jay Bilas on the other hand is one of ESPN's brightest minds in regards to the College game. He knows every player on the board and has stats memorized. That's why I hope one day someone passes along this bit of information to him.....making up terms makes you just sound goofy and a lot less smart than you really are.

"Pick Popability"? "Dunking with his elbows"? "He's bouncy"? "He's a pre-packaged guy"? "He's got an elongated reach"? "He can't find the keys to the toolbox"? "Second jumpability"? WHAT DOES ANY OF THAT MEAN?!?!?! Good lord. I know it's a long broadcast, but Bilas has to be (and is) smarter than that. It is so g'damn distracting. Lastly, Mark Jackson....I actually don't have anything bad to say about him because I didn't really even notice he was there. He adds zippy to the broadcast outside of his Draft Day experience being from NY and being drafted by NY. If you note the NFL Draft they only go to the MNF team about three or four times.....THEY DON'T PUT THEM ON THE MAIN STAGE!

I think we all knew it was going to be bad when we saw who was involved, and maybe ESPN was just trying something different, but I didn't think it was going to be THAT BAD! Add to the foursome depressed Stephen A. who didn't even want to be there, an overacting Doris Burke and the euro-stalker Fran Fraschilla and you have ESPN's worst broadcast in years. I'm sorry, but that was worse than "Who's Now". ESPN even let Bill Simmons mock them in his "Diary" they were so bad (more on that later).

I wish I was kidding when I say this, but they made "Monday Night Countdown" look like "60 Minutes". Just dreadful. Sorry for the length but I'm just done with ESPN's coverage of Drafts. They ruined day one of the NFL Draft and now the entire NBA Draft. I don't know what needs to be done to change it though. Maybe it's about time we got to vote on who gets to cover what events? I don't even know anymore....I'm all out of ideas at this point. If you have any good ones leave them in the comments.....you never know when ESPN is reading.

Well here we are folks. It's one of the most enjoyable nights of the year and it's become a fun tradition here at AA. There will be photos, videos, analysis and fun all evening long, so comment early and comment often. We'll get underway around 7pm but in the meantime feel free to click through last year's draft.

Last Year's NBA Draft Live-Blog

Great it's only 6:30pm and Dickie V is already yelling about the age limit and CDR being underrated. It's going to be a long night.
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And we're live from NYC and MSG! Stu Scott is on the mic and the camera is showing fat people running into the building. Eric Gordon is wearing a white suit and has the early nod as the Jalen Rose Award Winner for the night.

"It's also a diaper Draft."- Jay Bilas

Huh?

"Teenagers in their early 20s"- Stuart Scott starting off early (Via Judderman)

Hahahahahaha. Ric Bucher is the Chris Mortensen of the NBA. I swear the guy just makes up trades throughout the day in his head. "Lebron, Wally, and Z for Ben Gordon? Sounds good!"

"He can get up and down the court like running at full speed."- Jay Bilas on Rose

Ugh....here we go. ESPN is already trying to ruin picks before they happen. Please, please stop this!!! We all know they're taking Rose, but we like the mysticism! In case you care there's a stellar WNBA matchup on ESPN2. Colleen Dominguez weird me out for some reason. Not sure why.

"I saw a guy in the bathroom just before the show....."- Stuart Scott

It doesn't really matter what the end of that sentence is.

Popeye Jones + Hair = David Amber (Via Anon)

The Chicago Bulls are on the clock!!!!! Okay David Stern....stop rambling. It always amazes me when a team that has the first pick takes the full five minutes.
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1. Derrick Rose
PG, 6'4", 195lbs
Memphis

O.J. Mayo is really "Waldo," Eddie's friend from "Family Matters." (Via Anon)

Haha...good pull. I love the glasses he's sporting too.

"He can dunk with his elbows when they throw him a lob."- Jay Bilas

Someone get him in the dunk contest right now!

"This is a guy with a bounce in his swagger."- Mark Jackson

I'm not going to be able to keep up tonight. Oooooh and a Screamin' A interview right off the bat. I'm not going to lie....I kind of like him in this roll. Oh and Doris Burke is on the mom interviews. Awesome duo.

Before the 1st pick "Jays Best Available" Um...everyone? (Via Lammy742)
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2. Michael Beasley
F, 6'9", 235lbs
Kansas State

"He's got arms that extend past normal human limits."- Jay Bilas

"What will be the pick? Only one man knows for sure, David Stern."- Stuart Scott

Umm, what about the people who MADE the pick? (Via Jay)

Good point. These draft hats are actually pretty badass. David Amber also weirds me out in the way that Dominguez does. Don't know what it is.

How many times did Bilas say "score" in that hightlight of Beasley? (Via Anon)

Had to be at least 10....I stopped counting.

"He's bouncy."- Jay Bilas

Is he gunna star in the Clueless remake? (Via BK)
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3. OJ Mayo
G, 6'5", 215lbs
USC

S.A.S. just isn't asking the hard questions tonight. I'm bored with him already.

"What went into you alls decision?"- Stuart Scott

"I thought he was a pre-packaged guy."- Jay Bilas (Via Lammy)

What does that even mean? He just confuses the hell out of me. And the rumored trade that ESPN was talking about is off. The Sonics are picking.....
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4. Russell Westbrook
G, 6'3", 180lbs
UCLA

Annnnnnd there's our first stretch of the night! Seattle needs a PG, but I think they could have traded down and still have gotten Westbrook.

"What are you Russell Westbrook?"- Stephen A. Smith

Great question. Hey, Kevin Durant is here! Stu Scott mentions the Knicks and the place goes crazy. What's up with that weird lite bright lattice that's above the arena?
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5. Kevin Love
C, 6'10", 250lbs
UCLA

Does anyone else think the full court shot from Kevin Love is like the Kyle Boller throw from his knees?

I'm surprised Kevin Love went so high. Usually the NBA hates on big white guys. (Personally, I think he's got mad skills.) (Via Jay)

I concur. There's a difference between a hard nosed big guy like Love and one that looks weak and plays weak like Andrew Bogut. Annnnnnnd I'm already sick of the Doris Burke family interviews.
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6. Danilo Gallinari
F, 6'9", 209lbs
Italy

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

God I love it. Fran Fraschilla says that his nickname is "The Rooster" but we all know it's "The Big Cock". Oh and he already has a shoe. That's nice.

"You hear the Knicks fans and they are sleeping on you."- Stephen A. Smith
"I would like the team to win and I play hard. New York City is the best city in the World. I like to win and play hard and stay with my teammates and play with my skills."- Danilo Gallinari

"Don't get caught up in the people booing, they don't know you."- Mark Jackson

Good advice actually.

It's OK, kid. They're not saying, "Boo," they're saying, "Booollissimo." (Via Anon)

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7. Eric Gordon
G, 6'4", 222lbs
Indiana

"He's got an elongated reach."- Jay Bilas

Come on Jay...what are you trying to pull on us? Stuart Scott keeps talking about this freshman record....can someone please tell him it's because of the age limit? It's not some crazy feat or something.

JVG for the second time admitted he didn't know much about a player. You gotta love ESPN's choice of analysts for the draft. You know, the people who are supposed to analyze things. (Via Jay)

"He's a unique package because of his size."- Donnie Walsh (Via Anon)
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8. Joe Alexander
F, 6'8", 225lbs
West Virginia

"He's got great spring in his legs."- Jay Bilas

Stephen A. Smith just seriously turned in to Elmer Fudd there. Wow. He is out of his element.
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9. DJ Augustin
PG, 5'11", 172lbs
Texas

Hahahahaha. I knew someone would stretch for him. How the Bobcats can pass on Lopez is beyond me and they obviously have no faith in Felton.

Michael Jordan's biggest decision is which golf course he's going to play tomorrow and not the Bobs draft pick. (Via Anon)

Brook Lopez is the Aaron Rodgers of this draft and I couldn't be happier. Slip to the Wizards! I've also typed Brook Lopez's info into the last two picks so I'm pretty sure I'll never forget his stats.
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10. Brook Lopez
C, 7'0", 240lbs
Stanford

Damn....I was hoping for much more of a slip. Now we just need his brother to drop into the second round.

"His arms stretch out to 7'5""- Jay Bilas

Seriously Jay?

We need a Steve Young of the NBA Draft so we can hear someone go nuts over a stupid pick. I could see JVG but he knows nothing about college players. (Via BK)

"It's great to have the guy out of my hair."- Robin Lopez

Please slip....pleeeeeease slip. Why is he even there?

"The Nets got an absolute steal, they should put a mask on." - Jay Bilas (Via SS Reporters)

I swear I don't hear these as they're said. I must tune him out.
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11. Jerryd Bayless
G, 6'3", 195lbs
Arizona

F'ing steal! I'm so glad the Pacers didn't end up with Augustin here. I don't know why I'm openly rooting for them, but I love when teams get players like Bayless without trying. We also learn that Jerryd shot a hole-in-one at the age of 10. Good info. Also Jer is wearing a pimp ass white suit with white shoes.

I would hate to be Jamaal Tinsley right about now.
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12. Jason Thompson
PF, 6'11", 250lbs
Rider

Ummmm.....wow. I don't really have anything else to add.

"Jason is not here."- David Stern

No shit.

Who is Jason Thompson? And why is he going in the lottery? If only there were a group of analysts who could tell us more than he's "solid... really... solid"... Thanks Jay! (Via Anon)

That about sums that pick up. Let's pretend that never happened. Also, quick trivia question....name the last Kings first round draft pick who contributed to the team.
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13. Brandon Rush
G, 6'7", 205lbs
Kansas

Awesome pick. They are just loaded with talent. Unbelievable team. (Apparently I'm channeling my inner Jay Bilas)

It really makes you appreciate Kiper a lot more, doesn't it? (Via Anon)

A-f**king-men. This group is giving us nothing. Jeff Van Gundy doesn't know anything about the college game and Mark Jackson seems lost. Bad idea ESPN.

Did SAS just ask Brandon Rush how he feels about playing with Brandon Rush? (Via Anon)

Yes....yes he did.
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14. Anthony Randolph
F, 6'10", 197lbs
LSU

"Arms that go forever."- Jay Bilas

"Randolph is only 197 pounds and makes Brandan Wright look like Mr. America."- Jay Bilas

Dickie V is talking about Kevin Love now and says you can always pick up guards later in the Draft. Ummm.....have you looked at the rest of the prospects list? And he throws in an Italian restaurant joke. Kill me.

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15. Robin Lopez
C, 7'0", 245lbs
Stanford

"He's more defensive orientated and he has bigger hair."- Jay Bilas

Wow....that was sort of a shock. It's a good pick though because he can run.

Ford is reporting that Portland is sending Rush and Jarrett Jack to Indiana for Bayless. (Via Anon)

I hate Robin Lopez already.

Robin Lopez. Must Improve: Goofy hairstyle (Via Lammy)
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16. Marreese Speights
C, 6'10", 250lbs
Florida

"This guy can shoot. He shot 62% from the field...that's ninth in the NBA."- Stuart Scott

Are you f**king kidding me?!?!?! How does that even compare?
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17. (Via Toronto) Roy Hibbert
C, 7'2", 278lbs
Georgetown

"He's a big man, 7'2", 278 pounds. What the best thing about him Jay Bilas?"- Stuart Scott
"His size and his skill level."- Jay Bilas

Okay as long as the Wizards don't pick Kosta Koufas....I'm good. Oooh and we get a montage of cry baby Brook Lopez being bored at the draft. Fuck you millionaire.

"Robin is someone who can defend at the defensive end."- Terry Porter
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18. JaVale McGee
C, 7'0", 240lbs
Nevada

Enh....I'm not against this pick but I would have rather have had Hickson or Arthur. I pleaded for the Wizards to take a similar player in Paul Millsap.

Ike Diogu and Jerryd Bayless head to Portland for Jarret Jack and Brandon Rush go to Indiana.....Wow. That seems pretty pointless for all involved.

JaVale McGee's mom played in the WNBA? Seriously? And sadly, I can't come up with a good joke for this. I admit, I choked. (Via Anon)

What was Roy Hibbert's nickname again? (Via SS Reporters)

Thanks for asking! Brendan Haywood 2.0....thank god they didn't draft him.

"J.J. Hickson is just a horse down low."- Jay Bilas (Via BK)
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19. JJ Hickson
F, 6'9", 235lbs
NC State

Man watching those highlights I wish he was going to the Wizards. I love this pick for the Cavs. They need an athletic guy like Hickson.

With the 19th pick in the NBA Draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers just lost LeBron James. (Via BK)

Hahahahaha. So true. Hey, JVG is there! I had no idea until he just spoke. He seriously goes a good 35 minutes without saying a word.
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20. Alexis Ajinca
C, 7'0", 220lbs
France

"He makes Basketball. He makes Basketball look like he's playing nerf basketball."- Fran Fraschilla

Thank God he's there. Oh and the Bobcats suck ass. That's all I have to say.

Another player going to Indiana from Portland.....JOSH MCROBERTS!!!!!!!! Hey a Duke Player!!! Good times.

"It's a whole hat switching thing. Proposed trades, teams, and guys changing hats."- Stuart Scott

God I hate you. Hey Arthur is still there! Who predicted that the other day?
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21. Ryan Anderson
C,6'10", 235lbs
California

WOW!!!! That is by far the worst pick of the draft. I don't even have to watch the rest. Ridiculous. Who's running the Nets???

90-90 Liberty and Fever- 2OT....Wait...where Am I???

Okay I'm back! I'm feeling Courtney Lee here.....
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22. Courtney Lee
G, 6'5", 205lbs
Western Kentucky

BAM! Perfect pick for the Magic. I reached with Dontae Green in the first mock draft, but Lee is the ideal guy for them.

"He used to drive and beat me up at the same time, so he was my ride but he would also beat me up so. All I know is that he hasn't let go of that buffet down there in Orlando."- Jeff Van Gundy on Stan Van Gundy

AA, grade ESPN's coverage so far...I'm giving it a solid D. (Via SS Reporters)

Yep....spot on.

Yes Stu, we know the Pac-10 isn't a basketball school that's because it's a conference. (Via BK)
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23. Kosta Koufos
C, 7'0", 265lbs
Ohio State

Can the Jazz re-draft Greg Ostertag? Because they should after that pick.

Utah selects Kosta Koufos (as I giggle again)... and really, this is the perfect match of player, team, and city... the only way this would be better is if Kosta was a Morman. (Via Anon)

Is it just me or is this Draft going insanely slow?

Kosta Koufos. Must Improve: Ear Shape (Via Lammy)

Hilarious.
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24. Serge Ibaka
C, 6'10", 228lbs
Congo

Yaaaawwwwwwwwn. God I cannot stand Fran Fraschilla. Can we just get rid of the International position?

Must Improve: Experience

"How do you improve your experience?"- Jeff Van Gundy

Mr. and Mrs Ibaka
Must Improve: Birth control (Via Anon)

17 kids?!?!?! Good lord.

"You've always got your finger in one of your old teams don't you?"- Stuart Scott

Whoa....that's nasty
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25. Nicolas Batum
F, 6'8", 210lbs
France

"I compare him to Rudy Gay in terms of what he could end up being."- Fran Fraschilla

Ummm....a nothing? And the orange Ric Bucher gives us the info on an Arthur kidney issue. That sucks.

Are we not gettign the SAS interviews with the foreign players? Why must the WWL deprive us of this hilarity? (Via Anon)

Seriously....where the hell did SAS go?

I'm not convinced that the Spurs will draft Arthur... given the new report on his Kidney... well, Sean Elliot's not doing anything, right? Too soon? (Via Anon)

Wow.
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26. George Hill
G, 6'2", 181lbs
IUPUI

Ummmmmmmm.....I would never question the Spurs Draft strategy, but....yeah. WHO?!

"The Hornets are on the clock but they're making the trade, the pick, basically from Portland pending a trade."- Stuart Scott

What in the world is he talking about?

"On the clock now...the...Charlotte Bob....uh the New Orleans Hornets."- Stuart Scott
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27. Darrell Arthur
F, 6'9", 230lbs

HEY!!!! Good for Arthur and he's headed to Portland. This team is just freakin' staked now. Amazing.

"Doris is with ya mama."- Stephen A. Smith
"Thank you Stephen A. Sondra, as soon as your son was picked the tears started to flow, those tears are reflective of what?"- Doris Burke
"I'm sorry say that again?"- Mama Arthur

When did Doris Burke turn into James Lipton? Fran Fraschilla talks about Marc Gasol and I fall asleep.
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28. Donte' Green
F, 6'9", 220lbs
Syracuse

This seems like a waste of a pick to me but we're in best available territory. Rudy Gay now has a clone.

"He's got a lot of tools, he just can't find the keys to the toolbox right now."- Jay Bilas

"We breek in ESPN's Ric Bucher."- Stuart Scott

Stu is having the worst broadcast of his life and I'm loving every minute.
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29. DJ White
PF, 6'9", 251lbs
Indiana

Whoooo! I got one right on my Mock Draft!!! He's a perfect fit for the Pistons. The Bill Walker talk was nonsense.

"The last time the Pistons took a player from Indiana in the first round was a guy named Isiah Thomas back in '81."- Stuart Scott
"Booooooooooo!"- MSG Crowd
"Come on don't boo Isiah."- Stuart Scott

"You have to have the disease of greed."- Mark Jackson

I actually kind of like that phrase. Damn you Mark Jackson.

I'd love Chalmers as a backup to Rondo, and even play in the same backcourt with him when they go small. (Via Anon)

Interesting. Your thoughts intrigue me....I would like to subscribe to your newsletter. What the hell happened to the clock too? The Celts have been up for about 15 minutes now.

Okay, Stuart Scott just denigrated the sale of the gatorade-soaked shirt... the proceeds from which went to charity. What a dick. (Via Heef)

Stuart Scott just told someone that donated $50,000 to charity to get a life. You Stuart Scott need a life and a bitch slapping. (Via Anon)
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30. JR Giddens
G, 6'4", 208lbs
New Mexico

Very interesting choice. He wasn't on anyone's board in the first round but he'll fit in nicely. Great....Dick Vitale is back. He's looking haggard at this late hour. He's still bitching about the age limit....I love you Dick, but shut the hell up. He also blows Mark Jackson for a good 5 minutes....I'm done with him.

According to Ford, Detroit and Seattle swapped picks. Detroit picked D.J. White for the Pistons, and Seattle will pick twice in the 2nd round for Detroit. So...keep your eye on CDR being picked by the Sonics. (Via Anon)

I'm so confused. This is why I love the NBA Draft!
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Round 2:

Way to start off the second round MSG! Someone yells "Where's Steven A?!" as the coverage kicks off. Good times. The hecklers are getting rowdy.

31. Minnesota- Nikola Pekovic

Ummmmm.....who? Here comes Fran...

"He's big....is he good?"- Stuart Scott
"He's mid-lottery talent. He's a mean nasty joker."- Fran Fraschilla

What the hell are they talking about? I'm getting pissed now. It's official....DJ White is heading to Seattle.

32. Detroit- Walter Sharpe (F, UAB)

Ummm right. Okay.....where are we again? Larry Brown is getting booed by MSG and they're just looking for things to be pissed off at.

"What satisfies you most about what you've done so far."- Larry Brown
"I'm satisfied I got a job."- Larry Brown

He just doesn't even care anymore. Hahhahahaha and the crowd starts chanting, "JEFF VAN GUNDY...CLAP CLAP CLAPCLAPCLAP!"

33. Memphis- Joey Dorsey (F, Memphis)

"He's an absolute man."- Jay Bilas

Wait... so Joey Dorsey was at the draft too? Now I'm confused. (Via Anon)

Dude....just drink. I have no idea what' going on either. The main stage team is stupid, there are random players in the stands........IT'S THE NBA DRAFT! I love it.

34. Minnesota- Super Nintendo Chalmers (G, Kansas)

Again, who the hell is Nikola Pekovic?! DeAndre Jordan is a steal at this point. CDR is a tweener so that's not surprising.

35. Los Angeles Clippers- DeAndre Jordan (C, Texas A&M)

Good pick.

I really, really want a team to draft a foreign player, and just some random guy in the MSG audience/stands/bleachers/whatever to come down and get his picture taken. (Via Anon)

Oh it's coming! The highlight of every Draft.

37. Milwaukee Bucks- Luc Ricard Mbah A Moute (F, UCLA)

I love how ESPN still hasn't told us who went at #36 during the commercial break. We're waiting....

36. Portland- Omer Asik (Turkey)

Thanks ESPN. And I have no idea who that is....pointless.

"Asik in Turkish means lover."- Stuart Scott

38. Charlotte- Kyle Weater (G, Washington State)

The Blazers just drafted a Turk, and someone very audibly cracked open a can of soda (I hope!) on the set. (Via Jay)

Heard it too! I bet it was Stephen A. Smith....wait he's not on the main stage?

39. Chicago- Sonny Weems (F, Arkansas)

Not a bad pick there. He's a good player, but can't shoot.

Sonny Weems? I'm calling shenanigans. That's the made up name, right? (Via Anon)

I wish it was my name. The Nets are up....

40. Chris Douglas-Roberts (G, Memphis)

Amazing pick. After the smoke has cleared the Nets are doing big big things. Add Lebron in 2010 and you have the #1 Seed in the East. Is Calipari drinking Vodka and Crans? That's awesome.

"If we had drafted like that when I was at the Nets, I'd still be coaching the Nets."- John Calipari

F it... I love that CDR pick to the Nets too.. he might not be a starter, but backing up VINSANITY, and, you know, being the guy who plays defense when Vince just gives up. He'll be perfect. (Via Anon)

Agreed, although I felt the same way about Lawrence Moten back in the day.

Jeff Van Gundy
Must Improve: Knowledge of well...other things besides how to bag Alyssa Milano.
(Via SS Reporters)

That's a winner.

41. Indiana- Nathan Jawai (F, Australia)
42. Sacramento- Sean Singletary (G, Virginia)

Damn I was hoping Singletary would somehow make it to the Wizards and he could replace Roger Mason Jr. Oh well.

@AA... wow, a Lawrence Moten name drop... impressed! (Via Anon)

I've been trying to tell you this has been my life for over 20 years.

43. Patrick Ewing Jr. (F, Georgetown)

Interesting. He could pan out but it's not likely to happen. The guy can jump but he has no shot, offense, or rebounding. Hey Larry Bird via satellite with the most boring commentary ever!

Larry Legend may have had too many Vodkas and not enough Red Bulls. (Via Three Bean Salad)

So, basically, we're waiting for Bill Walker to get taken now, right? He would have been a lottery pick next year if he'd gone back, right? (Via Anon)

Ummmm maybe last year. Don't know about next year. He just seems lazy to me.

If Larry Bird and D-Wade had a conversation...... (Via SS Reporters)

Kill me.

44. Utah- Ante Tomic (C, Croatia)
45. San Antonio- Goran Dragic (G, Slovenia)

ESPN should know that Bird couldn't comment on proposed trades, yet their guys focused on that anyway. Still not sure if that was as inane as Stu's 2-question interview with Doc Rivers...and one of those questions was about his Gatorade-soaked shirt being auctioned. (Via Anon)

I can't describe how terrible this broadcast has been.....just plain boring. Great video of Tomic making wide open layups too. He's a winner. It's funny that Chad Ford decided to break up with the Euros this year, but they're getting scooped up all over.

46. Detroit- Trent Plaisted (F, BYU)

I'm surprised that ESPN has footage of these people. I saw him play in one game last year and.....well Jay Bilas just mentions it. Good job Jay. He did well against UNC last season.

47. Washington- Bill Walker (F, Kansas State)

I FUCKING LOVE IT! Piss towels and popcorn for everyone!!!! That just made my night. I don't think I've ever been happier for a second round Wizards pick outside of Gheorghe Muresan and/or God Shammgod.

48. Phoenix- Malik Hariston (F, Oregon)
49. Golden State- Richard Hendrix (F, Alabama)

This just proves Simmons' point about how important chemistry is on the set of a live/studio show and outside of JVG and Jackson these guys don't have it. This broadcast just proves that these shows totally depend on the host and Stu, you didn't have it tonight. (Via BK)

That theory certainly holds true most of the time but not always. I don't think Mike Tirico adds anything to a broadcast but he doesn't screw up like Stu. Scott is just lost tonight.

50. Sonics- DeVon Hardin (C, California)

Adam Silver tells about a trade that already happened and Hardin is a good pick. I'm dragging now people. And wow, ESPN even throws in an ad for its video conferencing software. Good times.

51. Mavericks- Shane Foster (G, Vandy)

USHAH! USHAH! Why did I know that was his nickname even before Stu mentioned it? That's right the NBA Draft song! I forget the name of the Ad Firm that sent that song to me, but bravo for getting it on ESPN.

"I do listen to Usher, it's on my Ipod right now."- Jay Bilas

52. Miami- Darnell Jackson (F, Kansas)
53. Utah- Tadija Dragicevic (F, Serbia)

Utah is just stocking up on foreigners now.

54. Rockets- Maarty Leunen (F, Oregon)

Is it just me or is the worst second round ever?

Somebody just... just needs to put Stu down... maybe just for the night, maybe for longer, but he needs to go. (Via Anon)

And Super Nintendo Chalmers goes to the Heat.

55. Portland- Mike Taylor (G, Iowa State)

Wait.....you can draft people from the D-League?!?!?! People are just making up shit now. This is crazy.

"He's a hungry player, has a terrific motor, and really goes after it."- Jay Bilas

Shut up Jay....you have no idea. Mark Jackson just said something about the NBDL but my brain shut off.

56. Seattle- Sasha Kaun (C, Kansas)

"SASHA Kaun, SASHA Kaun, SASHA Kaun SASHA Kaun, Let me love you SASHA Kaun."- Stuart Scott

Didn't see that coming AT ALL!

"Over seas, where he's from"- Jay Bilas

... shut up Bilas... Just shut the fuck up. (Via Anon)

I'm just done at this point. Someone carry me through the final four picks please.

57. San Antonio- James Gist (F, Maryland)

Hey yo! I didn't even think he was going to be drafted!!! Good times.

Dagger AA! Dagger! Bill Walker is gone...(Via Anon)

The Wizards trade Bill Walker to the Celtics for cash?!?!?! Dammit. This Draft officially sucks. I was stoked about that pick. So pointless.

58. Los Angeles- Joe Crawford (G, Kentucky)
59. Detroit- Deron Washington (F, Virginia Tech)

Well if you want someone to teabag players....he's your guy. Too bad he can't shoot worth shit. Mike Taylor goes to the Clippers............ahhhhhh who cares?! Adam Silver thanks some people who he calls his "friends" at MSG and.....

60. Boston- Semih Erden (C, Turkey)

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
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My god that was borderline unbearable. Thanks everyone for seeing me through that nonsense and please ESPN.....NEVER PUT THOSE FOUR TOGETHER AGAIN!!! I knew it was a bad idea to begin with, but the final product was even worse than I had imagined. Mark Jackson has absolutely nothing to say, Jeff Van Gundy also has nothing to say but adds knowing nothing about College players (and openly admits it), Jay Bilas just makes up words the whole time but who can blame him with that supporting cast, and Stuart Scott.......Worst. Host. Ever.

Ugh. Thanks for all of the comments, jokes, and love tonight. More videos, analysis, and grades tomorrow. Cheers!

UPDATE: Well this is interesting. Via ESPN....

The Minnesota Timberwolves aren't holding on to O.J. Mayo for long.

Two league sources told ESPN.com that the Wolves have reached an agreement in principle with the Memphis Grizzlies that will send the draft rights to Mayo, Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker and Greg Buckner to the Grizzlies in return for the draft rights to Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins.

Now this is how you end a week of announcing news on a good note. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald is reporting that Stephen A. Smith's role for this upcoming NBA Draft is going to be limited to just player interviews....

Stephen A. Smith, who can be an effective communicator when he is not morphing into 'Screamin' A.'' Smith, has been bumped from the main set and instead will interview drafted players -- an assignment he handled capably and calmly after the Celtics won the championship Tuesday.

In his place on the main set, ESPN will use ABC's lead game analysts, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, alongside returning analyst Jay Bilas and host Stuart Scott.

''We're hopping on the great job Mark and Jeff have done through the playoffs and extend that through the draft,'' said Dan Steir, ESPN's senior coordinating producer for the draft.

I don't know if Mark Jackson is really a better replacement, and I still question if NBA announcers know anything about College players, but I'll take it if that means less Screamin' A. The bad news obviously is that Tirico is replaced by Stuart Scott and as much as I want Mike Tirico to cover everything he just can't. More information on the Draft, the epic Live-Blog (3rd Annual!) and a Mock Draft to come next week.

Other parties involved: Chad Ford, Fran Fraschilla, Andy Katz, Ric Bucher, Dick Vitale , Doris Burke

ESPN picks substance over style for NBA Draft (Miami Herald)

Who: L.A. Lakers at Boston Celtics
What: Game Six of the NBA Finals
Where: TD Banknorth Garden- Boston, Massachusetts
When: 9pm (ABC)
Why: So Joey Crawford can force a Game Seven for the NBA or The NBA Championship
Spread: Celtics -5, O/U 191

The Celtics have shot number two at the Championship and this time it's at home. Is it banner number seventeen or a game seven on Thursday night? Predictions and thoughts in the comments and I'll see you later on. Until then enjoy my favorite photo of the Finals so far.....

______________________

And we're live from Boston, Massachusetts! Dwyane Wade is your guest studio host and he's about as exciting as watching the grass grow.

"If you remember when [Doc] was in Los Angeles, he had Tracy McGrady but never had Grant Hill."- Stephen A. Smith (Via Luis)

That's random. Sorry I missed that one.

My prediction: Jon Barry makes the observation that in Game 6's, the team which scores the most points wins 60% of the time. That, and I think the Lakers win by 4. (Via Mike T)

Jon Barry is a Basketball genius even though he averaged something like 4.3 ppg in his career. Don't you forget that!

Wade is the best they could do? He was hurt more than anything this season. Where is LeBron James? Where is Mano Ginobli? Where is Charles Freaking Barkley? (Via Rdmblog)

Yeah that's a weird choice. TNT goes to him a lot as well for some reason. I think he's a great player, but is boring as hell on TV.

"Coming up Jon Barry explains why he is one of the keys to Game Six for the Lakers."- Stuart Scott

Oh man....this is going to be good.

Paula Cole? Was Yoko Ono busy? (Via Heef)

Seriously. Man I've got goosebumps for this intro. Something special is going down tonight. Hahaha Kobe just broke out the devil horns for ACDC!


"The Lakers don't have a good matchup to start the game with Radmonovic [on Pierce]- Jeff Van Gundy

Why do they even play him? He gets used on defense and up until last game he did nothing on offense. Bill Russell is on hand along with Jo Jo, ML Carr, Ced Max, and Hondo. Good stuff. Lakers get the tip and we're underway....already a foul on K-Perk. Kobe hits a jumper to start LA's scoring. Ooooh and an early questionable call by Crawford. Pierce called for the block as Fisher bowls him over.

Rondo is off early but he gets a steal.....ALLEN FOR THREE! 4-3 Lakers. Odom is off and Allen draws a foul. He'll head to the line.

Charles, Kenny, and E.J. on with Leno tonight. Don Rickles also scheduled tonight. Can only imagine Rickles and Barkley on the couch at the same time. (Via Jeff The Web Guy)

Good reminder. Allen hits both and the Celtics lead. Kobe responds with a three though. Rondo is off again but he's hustling tonight....he gets a loose ball and gets fouled. Make, Make. Bryant again for three....uh oh. Pierce is off while trying to draw a foul. Steal...and a defensive three seconds. Allen hits.

"How do you break a windshield on a plane?"- Jeff Van Gundy

Rondo misses yet again but so does Odom and Garnett ties it up. Rondo....miss. Gasol has Pierce on him but fades away for some reason...brick. Slow it down people....this pace is killing me. Kobe turns it over....AND RONDO FINALLY HITS! Two point Celtics lead. KOBE WITH ANOTHER THREE! Good lord.....finally a timeout....

13-12 Boston with 5:07 left in the first

"He's the best player in the planet...on the world..."- Jeff Van Gundy (Via The Fourth)

Boston has celebrities too!

"Steven Tyler, I don't think I've ever seen him at an NBA game."- Mike Breen

"He [Kobe} has to put the kids to bed and he's certainly done that."- Mark Jackson

Huh? I'm confused. Fisher misses a three and Allen drops in a layup. Ray is hurt and got poked in the eye by Odom. He mugged him on that drive.

Lamar Odom with the Three Stooges defense. (Via Moe)

We're tied after Odom makes a free throw but Garnett breaks it with a jumper. They're letting them play as the trio points out. Walton gets two and then gets to the line on another possession. Lakers up two. Garnett hits and we're tied...again. Gasol is off and Brown rebounds. Garnett with the fadeaway and he's on tonight. Timeout Lakers....

20-18 Boston, 2:40 left

Can't wait to see Ira Newble on the second quarter tonight!!!! (Via Nabucodonozor)

Ooooh....PBJs for everyone! Pierce misses a layup after a nice drive and JVG nicknaming KG, The Big Loaf. Both teams miss and Farmar dribbles the ball of his butt out of bounds. ALLEY OOP! BROWN TO GARNETT!!! That could have been what KG was diagramming in the timeout on the dry erase board. Farmar misses but Posey throws it away. Rondo steals....no....foul called. That was a weak call. Farmar to the line....Make, Make. Boston leads by two 48 secs left....

Pierce...bang. Celts up four and get the two for one. Kobe misses a deep three. Celts get the last possession.....Pierce schools Walton but they had a foul to give and Luke gives it. Powe misses at the buzzer and that's the quarter.

24-20 Celtics after one

"It was a misunderstanding...I think Gasol was inviting Brown to the Opera."- Jeff Van Gundy (Via Steve)

Dumb.

What's the non sequiter of the day to come from Van Gundy? I'm guessing it has something to do with Aerosmith curing childhood obesity. (Via Mike T)

Good guess.

Am I the only one that made a PB+J after the KG segment? (The Fourth)

I wish I had one. Glen Davis comes in and the crowd goes nuts and the second is underway. A weak foul is called on Powe as he guards Kobe. Machine hits jumper! House answers with his own and Odom gets to the line on the other end.

Crawford T's up Doc and we're getting a little testy.....TESTIS? TESTIS? One, Two...Three??? Sorry....Pierce hits a nice three and the Beat LA chant picks up. Powe is off and the Celts lead stays at five. Odom to the line again. Boston's big men are getting into a bit of foul trouble. Make, Make. Powe with the lay in. Great pass from Pierce. Kobe misses a three and Farmar is called for a foul....

31-26 Celtics with 8:23 left

Michele says that Ray Allen hasn't come out of the Locker Room yet. Good report since EVERYONE KNOWS HE HASN'T! Sorry, I have an irrational hatred for her. Pierce hits two throws and the lead is six. Gasol hits a two (finally) but Posey is fouled on the other end. POSEY HITS A THREE! Boston is dominating the offensive glass.

Steal by Big Baby....HOUSE FOR THREE!!!! Timeout Lakers and the Garden is rocking...

38-29 Celtics with 6:25 left

Doc Rivers, you have been chosen to play Opportunity Knocks! All you gotta do is pretend to coach and you win a title! (Via Steve)

Hahahaha. That's a winner.

I'm pretty sure that after Game 5's Chris Mihm's fiasco, poor Chris is comfortably wearing his yellow CROCS by the bench. (Via Nabucodonozor)

He better be for the Lakers sake. Kobe is waaaaay short on a contested jumper.

"Still back here by the Celtics locker room. AHH here he is!"- Michele Tafoya

THIS is why we need sideline reporters! (via Anon)

Here comes Ray! Celtics win the tip and Fisher ends up in the camera well again. House actually got fouled on that play which I didn't see but he hits both and the lead is 11. Kobe gets ripped.....POSEY!!!!!!!! BANG!!!! Fourteen point lead. Timeout LA!

Gasol hits two free throws and we're under five minutes. Garnett with the fade...off. Garnett then almost gets a steal and dives on the court....love that. Ray is back in and Gasol hits again. He's using Davis...Garnett hits again and Rad briiiiiicks a three. Horrible shot. Radmonovic fouls Pierce on the inbounds and he's looking for a one way ticket to the bench. The Celts are getting every board tonight.

47-34 Boston, 3 minutes left

One way to stop Kobe? Play some freaking defense. The rest of the league needs to learn that. How many times did he waltz to the bucket during the western conference playoffs? Every series, unscathed. Look at him now. He's no Jordan. He's more like Gordon. (Via Rdmblog)

Oooh...good analysis there. Kobe is acting like the basket has herpes or something. He wants no part of it. Pierce hits the first....and the second. Rondo with another steal! He's everywhere....Perkins throws it away when he should have shot. Farmar gets to the line. Miss, Make. 14 point lead. Garnett with the "Dream Shake" and that's another two....7-10 from the field. Odom misses.....Rondo with a great fake and floater and this is becoming a blow out. Steal! OH MY GOD!!!!! KG WITH AN AMAZING AND ONE!!

How did he do that?! And he hits the throw....the lead is 21. 45 secs left....Odom gets stuffed by Perkins! Perkins from Garnett!!!! Wow. Kobe misses and that's the half. What a second quarter....the Celtics finish on a 26-6 run.

58-35 at the half

Wow... that play byGarnett almost made me dump my laptop... I was as excited as the Celtics bench... following what hch said... the Lakers bench has been like that ALL series... totally disinterested. (Via Anon)

Now THAT'S the Garnett I've always wanted to see in the postseason. (Via Steve)

The third is underway and bear with me while I catch up after pulling that Garnett video (it's loading). Allen hits a three and the lead is 27.

Wilbon just said the Lakers need to go small with Kobe, Fisher, Machine, Farmar, and Turiaf... and then grab rebounds. Please tell me I'm missing something? (Via Zak)

Yeah I heard that too...I thought he was gonna say jack some threes.

Did they put dwyane on the set just because he sponsors T-Mobile? (Via Anon)

Not sure but that's a good catch. Gasol gets an oop and the lead is 24. Pierce follows with a nice layup though. Radmonovic finally hits and the lead is 23....wait, 25. Rondo and one. Nice drive there. Fisher hits and can someone tell me where the hell Kobe is? I know he's on the court but he is a non-factor. Rondo with ANOTHER steal and Allen hits a three! Just pouring it on now.

There's Kobe...nice play on the inbounds with one on the shot clock. Garnett is fouled at the other end and he'll head to the line.

"Hondo lovin' what Rondo's doin'."- Mark Jackson

Garnett hits both and Kobe misses again. Garnett to the line....again. I sense a theme here. Make, Make. And Kupchak is yawning in the stands. Not a good sign. Another steal for the Celtics and a timeout.....

77-48 with 6:11 left....CUE THE BOSTON!

Why the hell is Kobe Bryant, a 1st Team All-Defensive Team selection, guarding the offensively inept Rajon Rondo, while the Radmanovic, a stiff on defense guards Paul Pierce... baffling. (Via Anon)

Remember this is the coach that put in Chris Mihm last game. Kobe misses....again. Odom grabs a Garnett miss but Garnett forces a jump ball at the other end. He then beats his chest to the crowd. Rad drains a three and the lead is just 28! Rondo gets a tip and Kobe finally gets a layup.

I'm rather upset that JVG hasn't gone on one of his famous tangents yet. Come on Jeff! Paul Pierce hits a pair of threes and the lead is 31....31! 4 minutes left in the third. I'm just waiting for the Lamar Odom cheap shot at this point. Radmonovic doesn't even care and he's just jacking threes.

84-54 with 2:57 left in the third

Wow. Rondo with another steal....

"Someone call 911, Rondo has just picked the pocket of Kobe Bryant."- Mark Jackson

If you want the Lakers' NBA Finals in a nutshell, I think it was that "post up" by Pau Gasol. (Via Anon)

I questioned the trade when it went down but he proved me wrong throughout the Playoffs until the Finals. The guy has played scared the entire Series. Kobe gets to the line and somehow has 22 points. You wouldn't know it by watching him. The lead is down to 25...under a minute to play. Rondo with another two. Kobe is swatted by PJ Brown and that about sums up the Lakers day. PJ hits a jumper for good measure. Kobe misses at the buzzer.....

89-60 Celtics after three

PJ Brown PWNS Kobe Bryant right there... Can we skip the 4th quarter so I can go to bed? Please? (Via Anon)

I'm pretty sure every state but Massachusetts is saying that right about now. Machine hits three and Rondo misses. Machine turn ball over and Rondo is fouled hard by Farmar....intentional. Flagrant one.

What do they do with the champagne from Sunday night? You know they had some in LA in case the Celtics won. Do they fly it out to Boston or just buy more? If they buy more, what happens to the stuff in LA? Do they give it away to Lakers office staff? Who supplies the champagne anyway, the home team, the winning team, the league? I wonder how champagne goes with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Anyone else looking forward to a dopey Scalabrine wearing swim goggles on the bench at the end of the 4th? (Via Pete)

Whoa that was a lot of questions.....I actually almost bid on a game used Scalabrine jersey today. $350 though so I passed.

Javon Walker used the champagne from Sunday night. (Via Anon)

TOO SOON! Farmar hits and the lead is 27. Ray Allen.....DAGGER! AND AGAIN!

101-70....this is like a ten minute victory lap.

Somehwere, Shaq is still smiling. (Via Steve)

"Where is Kobe?" in the background. Shades of "Where is Roger?" from the '99 ALCS. (Via DanteSheppard)

Anyone know where Jeff Van Gundy went? I haven't heard him talk in the past quarter and a half. RAY AGAIN! This is just embarrassing. 36 point lead! Insane. Good move by Odom for two. Garnett pulls down another O-reb. I don't think the Lakers have one of those tonight.

Farmar hits a three but Posey answers....and Garnett swats Odom. Hey Trevor Ariza!!!! Nice dunk. WE WANT MIHM! WE WANT MIHM!!!! Ray Allen again!!! Garnett blocks an Odom dunk and he's not happy. That was not a foul. HAHA...KG points to the screen. Love him.

Does the NBA have a mercy rule? (Via Michael)

"Who was throwing bricks at local cars?" ABC NY7 News Commercial
"Kobe Bryant?" - Me (Via Zak)

My vote for Finals MVP goes to Kevin McHale. (Via Ivan)

The Na-Na-Na Hey Hey chant kicks in and Boston is starting to celebrate. The Big Three comes out and that's just a great ovation. Powe with a dunk and Kobe misses a three. 3 minutes or so left. POSEY HITS! 123 POINTS!!! 38 point lead.

F**k, put a jersey on Russell, Jo Jo, Heinsohn, Maxwell, and Havlicek (Via Boston Barry)

YES A WNBA COMMERCIAL!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you NBA!

2:21 left to go and Garnett is crying on the sidelines. This is awesome. Odom is still playing tough as hell though. SE-VEN-TEEN! SE-VEN-TEEN!

"Come on mother (bleep)!"- Kevin Garnett

Damn ABC caught it. Good work. BIG BABBBBBBY WITH THE JAM!!!! ALLEN WITH THE OOP!

Okay that's enough....1 minute left. Machine hits three and gets hit in the face. That about sums it up. Doc gets the gatorade shower and now the fun begins!

3,2,1 (God I hate the city of Boston).....CONGRATULATIONS CELTICS THE 2007-2008 NBA CHAMPIONS!!!!

FINAL 131-92

(Videos and reax to follow)

I can't believe I didn't come up with that title sooner, but oh well. Jeff Van Gundy was all about Barber Shops and Vanessa Manillo/Alyssa Milano during Game Three, and gave the cameraman the stink eye during Game Four. So what did he have planned for Game Five? How about Bowling, childhood obesity, knife fighting and The Machine's workout program?!

As much as I want to hate the guy he just keeps reeling me back in. Sure he's distracting at times, but more often than not he's either ragging on Mark Jackson (always funny), making fun of the fact that Breen was an official once (hilarious) or going crazy about something completely random. As long as it's not in the last moments of the game, or overly forced, I'm okay with it (and enjoying it).

Who: Boston Celtics at L.A. Lakers
What: Game Five of the NBA Finals
Where: Staples Center- Los Angeles, California
When: 9pm (ABC)
Why: So Kobe can go for 60 trying to save face but still lose the NBA Championship
Spread: Lakers -7, O/U 192

This could be it people. The Celtics have three chances at the trophy and their first shot is tonight. Leave your predictions and thoughts in the comments and I'll see you when the U.S. Open finishes up.
_______________________

Hey Bill Walton is with the studio team! Good to have you back Big Red....that means you can get rid of Jon Barry and/or Mike Wilbon right? Okay we're underway. Bavetta calls a travel on Pierce when he clearly dribbled and Gasol puts in two. Kobe follows with a three.

Man... after that Open finish, i'm not sure i can take any more excitment... luckily, this is the 2008 NBA finals, not the 1984 NBA Finals... (Via Anon)

Jon Barry is that child who interrupts the adults with his "watch me, watch me" sing-song whilst the grown-ups discuss items of importance. He is now fully channeling Tom Tolbert. (Via MikeT)

Wow...Derek Fisher just went head first into the camera on the baseline....

"Hey Mike you don't have to dodge! He's not coming after you, that's a RE-PLAY. You've been in TV a lot, a long time."- Jeff Van Gundy
"Are you kidding me Mike? You're better than that."- Mark Jackson

Garnett gets Boston on the board but Fisher hits a three. And Kobe hits a nice turnaround to put the lead at eight. Garnett again for two...all jumpers though. A couple of great offensive rebounds by Rondo but he passed on a wide open layup. Bad decision. Foul on Bryant and Rondo knocks down one at the line. Gasol gets an and one after a close miss and Powe doesn't have the height to guard him down there. Bryant hits a three and that's a Boston timeout.

18-6 with 6:36 left in the first

Eddie House hits a three but Kobe drains another three. He's got 14 points just over halfway through the first. Ray Allen hits a wide open three and apparently we're only shooting jumpers tonight. Nine point lead. Kobe gets an offensive board and gets to the line.

"Do you need to chant M-V-P after a guy's already won it?"- Jeff Van Gundy

Ha. Good question JVG. Fisher gets two and House misses a three. Kobe with a beautiful pass to Rad and the Lakers lead is 14...make that 16...Odom with the layup. Another Doc timeout.

"Celtics have them right where they want them."- Mike Breen

31-15 with 2 minutes left.

ABC pulling out the Thriller music already. (Via DearLordMikeBreen

I thoroughly enjoyed that. Garnett gets a hook to fall and Walton misses (MOLE!). Garnett again and the lead is twelve, but he picks up his second foul already.

And there's Kobe commenting on his vast college experience again comparing this Game 5 as his Elite 8. Tool. (Via Steve)

MACHINE DUNK! Farmar then hits after a pair of Pierce free throws...sixteen point lead. Pierce to the line again. Miss. Make. 17 seconds left. Goaltending on PJ Brown and that's the quarter...

39-22 Lakers after one.

HOLY S**T! Chris Mihm is on the floor?!?! Wow. I guess now is as good a time as any to put in him. What do they have to lose? Lakers still up 16 after a Machine jumper. Pierce to the line again. He misses yet another free throw though. Mihm airballs a hook shot and it might be time to put in Turiaf. Pierce gets a layup to fall and Allen steals the inbounds. Nice play and a dunk to follow! Eleven point lead and Phil Jackson calls a timeout.

"I lost my train of though when Chris Mihm set that screen instead of Ronny Turiaf"- Jeff Van Gundy (Via GoodLordMikeBreen)

Mihm, Ariza, Tony Allen.....This the NBA Finals or the NBDL finals? (Via Steve)

Mihm, Ariza, Tony Allen, Luke Walton in the first half... if the coaches don't take thegame seriously, why should I? (Via Anon)

Those are both very valid questions that I wish I had the answer to. Tony Allen gets a nice shot to fall and the lead is single digits...and a charge on Turiaf! Here come the Celts. Pierce misses and Gasol draws Garnett's third foul. That'll hurt. PJ Brown back in. Gasol misses both though and Pierce slams one down to cut the lead to seven. Kobe misses a three and Tony Allen schools him on the other end but can't finish. PIERCE FOR THREE! Four point game.

Fisher airballs a jumper while trying to force a foul but Pierce misses a jumper at the other end. Lakers turnover and that's a timeout....

43-39 with 5:44 left in the half

I gotta say... Breen/JVG/Jax all seem to have a... dislike(?) for Cassell... I mean, they're right, but you RARELY see announcers call it like that, especially on the networks. (Via Anon)

Yeah they do, but it's okay to question a player or coach's decisions as long as you don't go overboard. Turnover on the Celtics. Fisher misses a three and a great save by Brown. Cassell misses what seems like his 14th shot and Odom follows with a layup. Timeout Doc with four minutes left.

Well, at least the Lakers blew their 18pt lead early tonight, keep the ratings up throughout. (Via Anon)

Tony Allen hits again and he's looking good but Odom gets an and one on the way back up the court. Poor defense all around. Eight point Laker lead. Pierce misses but Farmar airballs a three. Ray Allen hits one though and the lead is five...FARMAR MAKES UP FOR THE MISS! He hits a three.

Allen gets fouled and there are double techs on Allen and Fisher. Didn't seem like much.

"For some reason I don't look at either one of those guys like I look at Mike Tyson."- Mark Jackson

Odom scores and Farmar steals on the defensive end. Miss and the Celtics get the ball back. PJ scores on a bailout pass from Pierce. 30 seconds left....Lakers turnover as Bryant loses. PIERCE NAILS A THREE!!! That's the half. Another amazing comeback and the lead is just three for the Lakers....

55-52 at the half

OK - in the promo for the US Open Playoff, Breen mentions the first 9 holes being on ESPN. What about the other 9? Is Ron Burgundy going to cover it for local San Diego TV? I know its on a rival network, but c'mon. Stay classy, ABC! (Via Mal)

Good catch. That's a little bit of a low blow.

Even my grandma knew Pierce was going to take that three. Come on Fisher! (Via Sebastian)

Luke Walton was called by Larry Bird before the finals to wish him luck. You were right AA, Luke is the mole. (Via Steve)

Told you.

"You start the second quarter and you have a nice lead in the game. You sit Kobe Bryant for the first three minutes and you get nothing. You put Chris Mihm in the game, this guy hasn't played Basketball in two years! He's in the ballgame in the Finals of an elimination game?!"- Jon Barry

Whoa Jon...settle down, but yes....good point. Aw how cute, Luke and Bill looking at old pictures together. I'm going to cry. If I didn't hate on Luke Walton as much as I do then that would have got to me. Good try ABC!

Are we about to see a special Father's Day moment when, after the interview, Luke and Bill roll a doobie together? (Via Mal)

Hahaha. Luke did sound like more of a stoner than his dad.

"He just made a bowling reference. When was the last time you went bowling?"- Jeff Van Gundy

AA... the best part of that was Mark Jackson PROUDLY pointing out taht he won the bowling tounament on three of his teams... These guys annoy me in a good way, is that wrong? (Via Anon)

Oh god...and now he's talking about Childhood Obesity. Save me. Start of the third and the Celts are called for a few fouls right away. Tie game! Ray Allen hits a three after a Rondo steal. Kobe misses one and commits a foul on the other end. Pierce to the line once again. Make and that's the first lead of the game for the Celtics. Pierce misses the second. Rad misses, Pierce misses, Gasol misses, Kobe makes....and one. I'd like to know where the foul was on that one. Make. Two point Laker lead.

Garnett blows past Gasol and that's all day. Tied again. Charge on Kobe and that's three. Rondo hits a wide open jumper but Gasol hits as well. Gasol again and he gets to the free throw line! Garnett now has four fouls and that was a sketchy call. Now they switch it back to PJ Brown. Weird. Travel on Garnett. The Laker lead is three. Odom misses and Pierce drives for two. Timeout Lakers.

65-64 Lakers with 6:21 left in the third

"And the Celtics deserve to tie the game because the Lakers are playing lazy."- Mike Tirico on ESPN radio (Via Anon)

Ooooh good reporting Anon....keep me updated on that end. Kobe picks up a charge and his fourth foul. Rondo misses but forces a jump on the defensive end. Lakers get it and Fisher hits an unbelievable and one on a jumper. Four point Laker lead and a turnover....RAD FOR THREE!!!!!!! Timeout Boston.

Why did JVG make it a point to say that Derrick Fisher took the shot lefty, he is left handed after all... (Via Sebastian)

Another good catch. They can't get anything by you all tonight. Great more celebrity shots....Paula, Robert Downey Jr, Matt Damon, David Spade, Stallone, and Denzel. YAWN! Pierce with another blow by of Radmonovic for two. Posey gets a steal but Pierce misses.

Nice message from Mike Breen to the families of Jim McKay and Tim Russert.

It's turnover central and the Celtics finally end up with it. Allen draws a foul and heads to the line.

"Mental toughness is all up here he said, pointing to his brain."- Michele Tafoya on Doc Rivers

Hahahaha. I don't know whether to make fun of Doc, Tafoya, or both!!!

"I've played with guys like Radmonovic. Good enough to keep both teams in the ballgame."- Mark Jackson

Ha...now we're cookin'. Fisher heads to the line for two. Six point Laker lead. Cassell hits though (finally) and it's a four point game. Steal! Cassell misses a three and Garnett picks up his fourth. Gasol to the line. He hits both. Allen steps out and another Boston turnover. Machine misses, no call on the rebound, Bryant misses. Garnett is off and Machine misses a three, rebound Gasol, FISHER THREE! NO!!! Lakers ball still and there's under a minute to play in the third...

Odom gets a layup and the lead is eight. House throws it away! The crowd finally seems into the game....Gasol hits a jumper but it won't count. Foul on the floor and he'll shoot two. Make. Miss. House gets the board. Allen misses and that's the quarter.....

79-70 Lakers at the end of the third.

AA... you know, I just hope Michele and Doc can someday run away and get married... they're perfect for each other. (Via Anon)

Agreed.

Did anyone else see Cassell grab at Vujacic while he was taking that 3... Cassell from the bench? Cassell is a wily old man. (Via Zak)

Both teams have done that all Playoffs. I wouldn't be surprised to see the League hand out fines next season for those distractions. Here we go! Pierce is fouled but Odom comes out of it with the injury.

"He took a bad shot."- Jeff Van Gundy on Odom getting hit below the belt

Farmar gets a bunny and Pierce is way off on the other end. ODOM HITS A THREE! Doc already with the timeout. Lakers up 12. Pierce picks up an easy layup after the timeout but Farmar answers with one of his own.

Life on Mars, with special guest Sam Cassell, only on ABC. (Via SS Reporters

"The crowd is fired up by Pau Gasol's play."- Mike Breen

That's a first. Machine misses yet another three and fouls Posey. Walton rolls in a jumper and the lead is fourteen. Cassell stops the bleeding after posting up Farmar and a double team almost forces a turnover.

WHOA! After the tie up Vujacic goes flying and the teams go at it a bit.

"If you get thrown down by a 38 year old, you've got to get a new strength program."- Jeff Van Gundy

Hahahahaha. Okay that's a winner Jeffery. Farmar misses and CASSELL HITS AN UNBELIEVABLE AND ONE! The lead is back down to nine. Kobe nails a jumper but Cassell hits again!!! Now we're playing. Seven in a row for Sam I Am. Gasol with the miss and the flop at the other end. No call on the Garnett shot and Kobe is short as well. Foul on Walton and the Lakers are in the penalty. Horrible foul. Make. Make.

Halfway through the 4th and it's a seven point lead. Lakers turn it over again and here come the Celts! POSEY FOR THREE!!!!!! Fisher misses and Odom knocks it out. Timeout.

90-86 with 5:28 left

This just in... Bill Walton is creepy when he smiles. (Via Anon)

Mark Jackson, calling Lamar Odom a "...guy you can trust in crunch time"... makes you wonder if he's just Joe Morgan-ing it tonight. (Via Anon)

Pierce goes to the line and no one can seem to stick him tonight. Make, Make and the lead is two. The Lakers look lost on offense as Fisher misses a three but he picks up a steal....no he was out of bounds. Pierce to Garnett and we're tied again! Foul on Pierce...dumb foul and that's his fourth. Gasol hits over Garnett and the Lakers lead by two again. Garnett is fouled and he'll head to the line. Miss, Make. One point game.

Under four.....and a foul on Garnett! That's his fifth and Pierce follows with his fifth!!!! Timeout....

92-91 with 3:31 left

NOW is when the guys with the whistles take over. (Via Mal)

I can't for the life of me figure out why Kobe isn't shooting every damn time down the court. Odom down low and he's fouled. Make, Make...three point lead. Kobe knocks it away from Pierce and Fisher gets fouled at the other end. He misses the first and makes the second. Pierce all the way and he's fouled. No one can guard him on the drive tonight. He hits both and Gasol misses at the other end. Foul on Gasol too. Tough call to make but Bavetta had no choice as Garnett goes down. Two shots....Miss! MISS!!!! Ouch.

Lakers ball....2:20 left....Bryant is fouled and Posey and Odom get into it. Now's not the time boys. Make, Make. Four point lead. Pierce misses twice and the Lakers get the board!!! Kobe misses but Gasol rebounds. Terrible shot but LA gets lucky. KOBE MISSES! Odom with the foul and he's about to lose his mind. Pierce to the line....

Good. Good. Two point game. Here we go.....one minute left! FISHER MISSES!!!! Boston ball......KOBE KNOCKS IT AWAY! KOBE WITH THE DUNK!!!!!! Huge play....four point lead.

"Kobe Bryant comes up with the steal, deflects the Basketball...Mama there goes that man. Bryant finishes at the rim!"- Mark Jackson

Huh? 37 seconds left.....

Allen misses, Garnett's tip misses....Laker ball. 26.8 left and LA is inbounding. Fisher is fouled. Miss! Make!!! 5 point game...timeout Doc and Kobe give Fisher a bit of a stare down. It's hard to tell if it's playful or not. I'm guessing not.

24.8 left...Posey inbounds to House...missed three!!!! That'll do it as Ray Allen fouls out. Kobe to the line....Make, Miss. Six point lead...15.4 remaining.

HOUSE HITS A THREE! Turnover! Whoa...no. Fisher is fouled!!! How was that not a travel? Wow.

"I know you think we're going to negative Mike by your positive response."- Mike Breen

Well at least they realize it.

"That's all they needed tonight was just to win and send the series to Boston."- Mike Breen
"They need a total different level of resolve to win in Boston."- Jeff Van Gundy

Harsh but true....and that's it! The Lakers hold on to win it and we're heading back back to Boston, Boston. Okay sorry...that was lame. It's after midnight on a Sunday.

103-98 Lakers is your final

I'm cleaning out the video inbox a bit this morning, but wanted to share this one as well. ABC came back from a break with two minutes left and wanted to get some quick analysis from Mark Jackson. Well that would have been fine if they hadn't already started playing Basketball again.

The only one who seemed to notice was Jeff Van Gundy who let the cameraman know right away....

Sa